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An UrbanDaddy Publication

01/04/2008

Esky's Cognac Conundrum

The January issue of *Esquire* does its readers a grave disservice in the innocent guise of giving advice about getting one's ladyfriends liquored up. In its typical smarmy, overly-verbose style, the magazine's “Man At His Best” section offers a primer on cognac, capped with the following: “The January Dilemma No. 1: Your Date, Though Curious, Doesn't Want to Sip Cognac Neat.” It goes on to suggest feeding the unsuspecting female an emetic concoction consisting of cognac and cr‚àö¬Æme de menthe. They don't give it a name, but we think “The Ipecac" suits it perfectly. The mag also inexplicably counsels readers to use perfectly good Rémy Martin Louis XIII for the mixture, which at $1,500+ per bottle is a little pricey to be dumping a bunch of mouthwash into.

Here at Kempt we hold our followers in higher esteem, so we'll solve *Esquire*'s cocktail conundrum in a way which won't require you to also buy your date a bucket. It's a toothsome little thing from Prohibition days called the Sidecar (pictured), supposedly invented at Harry's Bar in Paris in 1931. Hell, you can even drink it yourself:

Pour 1 oz. cognac, 1/2 oz. of Cointreau and the juice of half a lemon into an ice-filled shaker; shake and strain into a martini glass with a sugar-lined rim, and garnish with a twist of lemon. Bottoms up.